Summer Wages

Never hit seventeen when you play against the dealer

Cause you know that the odds won’t ride with you

Never leave your woman alone

With your friends around to steal her

She’ll be gambled and gone like summer wages

So we’ll keep rolling on

Till we get to Vancouver

And the lady that I love, she’s living there

It’s been 6 long months

And the more since I’ve seen her

Maybe she’s gambled and gone

Like summer wages

In all the beer parlours

All down along main street

And the dreams of the seasons

Get all spilled out on the floor

All the big stands of timber

Waiting there just for falling

And the hookers standing watchfully

Waiting by the door

So I’ll work on the towboats

In my slippery city shoes

Lord I swore I would never do that again

Through those gray fog bound straits

Where the cedars stand waiting

I’ll be far off and gone like

Summer wages

In all the beer parlours

All down along main street

And the dreams of the seasons

Get all spilled out on the floor

All the big stands of timber

Waiting there just for falling

And the hookers standing watchfully

Waiting by the door

Never hit seventeen when you play against the dealer

Cause you know that the odds won’t ride with you

Never leave your woman alone

With your friends around to steal her

She’ll be gambled and gone like summer wages

Years are gambled and lost like summer wages